Mung bean stew with tempeh

So I’ve been a little distracted this week— recovering from Prague and trying to figure out my student teaching schedule— so I thought I’d post something more simple: a recipe for stew. I’ve noticed a lot of the health food stores here in the Czech Republic have smoked tempeh and smoked tofu, which made me curious to try it. Also, I’ve found a new grocery store in Hradec Králové: Zdravíčko, which is also where I got the paprika for this recipe.

I’ve been doing most of my cooking from scratch— I can’t really read Czech, so I’m super leery about buying anything packaged or processed, as it might have gluten or meat products. (Which is more healthy in the long run!)

Note: if you don’t have sprouted mung beans, you can follow this recipe.

Sprouted mung beans.

3 medium sized carrots

2 medium russet potatoes

2 medium onions

2 cups of mushrooms

200 grams (7 oz) of mung beans, sprouted

190 grams smoked tempeh (or one package)

paprika

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

olive oil

680 grams/3 cups vegetable stock (or broth)

2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (optional)

Sliced smoked tempeh.

Saute the mushrooms and onions in olive oil until the onions become translucent.

Add the vegetable stock and bay leaves, along with the chopped potato and carrots.

Bring to a boil, add the sprouted mung beans and diced tempeh and reduce heat and simmer.

This is a good time to test your spices.

Simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

If you’re adding flour to thicken it, add it in a sprinkle at at time, stirring constantly. I added mine when the stew was nearly done, just to thicken the broth a little.